2023 NBA Playoff Bracket: Seedings, Matchups and Schedule

 

 

2023 NBA Playoff Picture

Remaining teams as of May 29, 2023.

• April 12: The Lakers pulled off a double-digit second-half comeback to beat the T-Wolves in OT and locked up the #7 seed in the West in the process, setting up a first-round series with the Grizzlies.
• April 11: The Hawks upset the the Heat 115-106 in the East 8-vs-9 game, meaning Atlanta slots into the #7 seed in the East and will face the Boston Celtics in the first round.
• April 3: A three-game win streak has launched LeBron’s Lakers into 7th in the West, just half a game back of 5th.
• Feb. 28: Now riding a 16-game win streak, the Milwaukee Bucks have overtaken the Boston Celtics for top seed in the East.
• Jan. 31: A modest three-game win streak finally has the Warriors among the top-six seeds in the West. The Lakers remain out of the playoff picture, currently 13th in the West and 2.5 games behind #10 Utah.
• Dec. 28: If the playoffs started today, the Warriors would still be in the play-in tournament, while LeBron James and the Lakers would miss the postseason for the second straight season.
• Nov. 28: After a sluggish 6-9 start, the Warriors have won five of six and are back in a play-in tournament position in the Western Conference.
• Nov. 1: Early on, the surprising Portland Trail Blazers have the #1 seed in the West. Their odds to make the NBA playoffs have improved from +198 in the preseason to -165.

Be sure to check the latest NBA playoff odds at your book of choice with fewer than 10 games remaining in the regular season.

The early NBA Championship odds favor the Celtics, Bucks, and Warriors (all +600). The same teams are favored odds to win the Eastern and Western Conference.

Boston sports fans have reason to be excited, as the recent launch of Massachusetts sports betting means Celtics fans living in the state can legally wager on their team.

2023 NBA Playoffs Schedule

When Do the 2023 NBA Playoffs Start?

The Play-In Tournament runs over four days, from April 11th to 14th. The first round gets underway on April 15th and will likely run until the first weekend of May. While the first round and NBA Finals start dates are set in stone, the second-round and conference finals start dates will hinge upon how long the series in the previous round last.

How Does the NBA Playoff Bracket Work?

For the fourth straight season, the NBA will continue with the Play-In Tournament for the 7-10 seeds in each conference before commencing the traditional 16-team playoff format.

Following the Play-In Tournament, the playoffs will continue with a traditional playoff bracket: eight teams from each of the Eastern and Western Conference competing in a postseason of four rounds comprised of seven-game series. The opening round matchups are 1-8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5. The NBA does not re-seed if upsets occur, the bracket is fixed.

How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?

In the Play-In Tournament, the #7 and #8 seed in each conference will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot. The #9 and #10 seed in each conference will each have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot.

The #7 team in each conference hosts the #8 team, with the winner receiving the seventh seed. The winner of the #9 vs #10 game will then face the loser of the 7-8 game, with the winner of that game earning the #8 seed in the final bracket.

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Archived NBA playoff brackets: 2022